The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-09
on any of the walls But the pipes which con.
vey the cooling mixture covered with frost
an inch thick
SCIENTIFIC AND USEFUL.

SCIENTIFIC AND USEFUL.
The British Medical journal reports case Of
poisoning from the accidental swallowing OF
piece of aniline pencil
new attachment TO the microscope has been
devised the object of which is to observe the
melting points of minerals while under the pro.
cess of examination.
French sratistician has figured out that
man during lifetime of fifty years sleeps away
5000 days, works away the same period, eata
away 2,0Oc days walks away 800 days, is i'll 500
days, and devotes the balance Of his time "a
amusing himself
A new style of paving block for which are
claimed some special advantages. is composed
of hollow iron shell filled with amy desired
concrete, the shells being arched underneath,
and for street paving are some four inches wide
and from ten to twelve long.
A new form Of railway-seat spring has beer
devised in England and is highly spoken of. Tho
entire seat is carried on coiled spring of pecu-
liar FORM and is free to move in all directions,
so that every jerk and oscillation which the cal.
can receive is perfectly taken up.
The interesting German process of coating
iron with aluminium is said to be having a large
introduction, Bunsen burner with blast OF
muf1e being employed for the operation. It il
found possible by this means to manufacture
various articles Of the durable metal for daily
use, the coating of aluminium giving them {
silver-white luster. The metal does not oxidizs
under normal conditions, stands ordinary heat
and takes high polish
A German botanist has discovered source of
brandy and alcohol in the poppy. It appears
that the pulp which covers the poppy seed con-
tains saccharine matter, which, after due fer
mentation and Installation, produces kind OF
brandy of an agreeable flavor. AS this pulp has
been hitherto thrown away, the discovery, it is
said, affords poppy planters an opportunity Of
realizing more profit from their crops with tut q
very great expenditure of capital.
Professor Windla has auuouneod ~ tho Rri&.
ish Association, as conclusions from his re,
searches on the subject that man g original dem
ition included six incisors in either jaw; that
two from each jaw have gradually disappeared;
that this loss is due to the contraction of the an
terror part of the palate; that this process Of
traction will probably go on and result in the
loss Of two further incsors, and that the conical
shape of many of the supernumerary teeth indi.
Gates reversion to the primitive type of tooth.
Artificial leather is being prepared in Ger
many by combining with the skins from to 10
per cent of sinews. Pieces of leather are washed
cut, boiled in alkaline lye, torn, neutralzed
with hydrochloric acid and washed once more,
to remove all traces of acid. To this are added
sinews which are treated similarly and steamed
In an acid bath until they somewhat like
glue. The materials are then mixed, pressed
into sheets, moistened on both sides with a COM
centrated solution of alum, and the upper SUR
face receives thin coat of caoutchouc in solu.
ton with carbon bisulphide.
According to the Belgian savant, Quetelet, a
man attaIs his maximum weight at about ha
fortieth year. and begins to lose it toward his six.
tieth year. A woman, however does not attain
her maximum weight until her ffteth year,
The weight of persons of the same age in differ
ent classes Of society also differs In the afflu-
ent classes the average maximum weight is ia
pounds, and Is attained at fifty years of age. In
the artisan class it ia 154 pounds, attained at
forty. Among farm laborers it Is III pounds,
| attained at sixty. In the general GLASSES It is
| 164 pounds, and is reached between forty and
| fifty years of age
| An ingenious gentleman of Evanston, H., has
succeeded ia applying the principle of the in
| jector to grain elevator. The grain is run
| from the car to revolving hopper, through al
aperture in the bottom of which is forced a pow
erful blast of air: which carries the grain GER
| tain distance up horizontal tube. At intervals
| in this tube are bends or horizontal curves form.
| ing relays. These relays act AS auxiliary hop.
pers, a fresh blast of air being admitted at each
| one, which carries the grain to the next higher
relay In this way the grain may be raised to
any desired height A modification Of this de-
vice is arranged to raise grain from the hold Of q
ship or boat
The use of the gall of rattlesnakes is again
| warmly urged by N. Koscicky, of Austria as
an antidote for snake bite. NJ Koscicky who
became acquainted with the antidote in Ven
effective, as we'll as instantaneous in its opera
| tion-crows and dogs In the last stage of the
| poison recovering Immediately on the remedy
being administered to them The preparation
| of the article for this purpose is described as
| quite simple: Three rattlesnakes' gals are put
| into an ordinary wine bottle filed with spirits
| of 30 degrees, and allowed to stand thus for a
| week. In ordinary cases two tablespoon.
fus are taken, and in extreme cases three to six
| 1t is thought that much might be gained in this
direction by experiments with the gals of other
| snakes.